Yoga Block Configured For The Neck (Neck Block)

ABSTRACT

A Yoga block designed to promote cervical lordosis by contouring the block to allowing room for the shoulders and a cut out for the spinous processes at the top of the block.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

A proposed solution is a plastic rectangular piece with the apex used to contact the neck and create a fulcrum to restore cervical lordosis. The plastic apex does not provide a cut-out for the spinous process and is generally uncomfortable to the neck.

Another prosed solution is a convex foam orthotic with a subsurface to support the head. The piece is more comfortable and has bulbous apex to create a fulcrum for the neck but also doesn't provide a cut-out for the spinous processes and limits the amount of cervical lordosis that can he restored.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Yoga is becoming a common method of body and mind maintenance and rehabilitation throughout the world. For the purposes of this application, loss of cervical range of motion can be reversed with yoga practice, but mostly in rotation, lateral bending and flexion. Cervical retraction and extension is difficult to obtain during a session to regain cervical lordosis and can be uncomfortable. Loss of cervical lordosis can cause neck discomfort, difficulty breathing and decreased lung capacity among other problems. Yoga can benefit the cervical spine by increasing range of motion by attaining certain postures, but mostly in rotation, lateral bending and flexion.

Yoga blocks are used to help support postures (asanas) during a practice session. If a student doesn't have the sufficient range of motion to contact the ground while reaching for the ground, for example, the block can be used to make contact with the ground while holding it with one or both hands depending on the posture. A standard yoga block is sometimes positioned behind the neck or low back to create traction and increase lordosis. Considering that a yoga block is a standard rectangular block, it can still be uncomfortable even though it is made of soft foam.

This device (Neck Block) is configured to support the neck in the supine position. The purpose is to support the contour of the neck and possibly retain cervical lordosis by creating a comfortable angle for the shoulders, a small surface area for the neck and a cut-out for the cervical spinous process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A Yoga Block configured to support the neck while lying supine. The foam product is contoured to support and promote the cervical lordotic curve by making contact with the cervical spine with a relatively small amount of surface area. This is accomplished by creating an approximate 45 degree plane where it contacts the shoulders and creating a cutout to accommodate the spinous process at the top of the block. This configuration maximizes direct force in the form of a fulcrum to the cervical spine while supine by allowing room for the shoulders and a drop-off point for the subject's head.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the present invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The configuration of the device is presented in FIGS. 1-3 in the preferred embodiment. The modified yoga block device consists of a body (16) consistent with a yoga block, but an angled surface is created to rest a subjects shoulders (24) and a surface to contact the cervical spine (14) to create a fulcrum for the neck and the subjects head then lays on the ground. A cut-out (22) is created for the spinous processes for comfort.

In the preferred embodiment, the cervical support comprises a support surface for the neck to allow for a drop-off point with a cut-out for the spinous processes to allow for the subject head to rest on the ground and allow for forces to encourage cervical lordosis. The amount of force can be variable by increasing the height of the vertical surface (18).

In another form, the surface (20) that contacts the cervical spine can be made to be convex and the angled surface (24) can be made more acute to make more room for the shoulders. As the surface can be made very soft, another form could exclude the cut-out for the spinous processes.

Another form could create a triangular shape where the preferred embodiment includes the angular surface (12) higher than the base 16 on the ground.

The preferred embodiment is manufactured by injection molding of ethylene-vinyl acetate. This is a typical material for yoga blocks. This material when configured for the preferred embodiment will compress to allow for comfort of the neck while providing a small surface area to maximize cervical extension.

In another form, the device can be manufactured in a 3D printer with “ninja flex” or other rubber materials.

Other rubber, synthetic or natural can be used to create another form of the current invention. 

Claims associated with the current invention:
 1. A yoga block configured to support the cervical spine (neck block) while lying supine include an angled surface to make room for the shoulder, a small but soft surface are for the neck to maximize the ability to extend the cervical spine and promote lordosis and a cut-out for the spinous process for comfort.
 2. The neck block consists of an angled surface to make room for the subject's shoulders.
 3. The neck block consists of a small surface are where the subjects places their neck to maximize cervical lordosis
 4. The neck block contains a cut-out for the spinous process for comfort.
 5. The neck block can create increasing forces to the cervical spine by increasing the vertical surface of the device. 